There is a small reddish-brown scorpion that is often found in houses in Gauteng (and Bloemfontein, Kuruman, Bethulie, Swellendam, Stellenbosch and other major centres). This scorpion is called Pseudolychas ochraceus.
During the warmer times of the year these scorpions become mobile in the environment and often enter houses where they end up trapped in bathtubs, sinks and showers. They have also been found under face cloths, dish cloths and in laundries, places that offer increased moisture. This is an unusual scorpion because they are one of the few species that thrive in the urban environment.
Their natural habitat is riverine valleys and areas of dense vegetation. They prefer damp, moist areas and often shelters under rocks, rotting logs and under leaf litter.
It’s not uncommon to find a few individuals in a house over a period of just a few months. It’s a very docile scorpion and stings are rather rare. Contrary to popular belief, this is not a highly venomous scorpion. Stings are similar to a bee sting.
Because of it’s small size, up to about 28mm in length, many people think that they have a baby scorpion in their house. If there is one baby scorpion, there must be more. If there are more scorpions, there must be a nest and a mother and father. This of course is not true, as it’s mostly adult scorpions that enter houses.
If you find one of these scorpions in your house, please scoop it up into a jar and release it in the late afternoon in a densely vegetated area or your local nature reserve.
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